The Function of Space Maintainers

Posted November 8, 2017.

Did your child knock out a baby tooth before it was ready to come out? Or perhaps because of tooth decay, your child had to have an extraction. If so, it’s time to consider a space maintainer. The gap in his or her mouth may cause an adult tooth to erupt in the wrong place or at a bad angle. Then when other teeth are prepared to erupt, they might not be able to because there isn’t room. To prevent this from happening, Dr. Shabbir Adenwalla might recommend getting a space maintainer.

Space maintainers will do just what they imply – they will maintain the space left by your child’s missing tooth until the adult tooth is ready to erupt. There are two types: removable and fixed. The removable type is formed out of acrylic and an artificial tooth to hold open the space. This kind of appliance tends to be a better option for an older, more responsible child who is able to take out the appliance and clean it periodically.

A fixed maintainer adheres to the mouth with dental cement and also uses bilateral appliances made of stainless steel wire connecting to neighboring teeth. Depending on the placement of the lost tooth, there are various types of fixed space maintainers available. Ask Dr. Shabbir Adenwalla for further details

It can take time for a child to become accustomed to the device. You may want to pay extra attention to his or her oral hygiene routine as well, as the device can make it both more complicated and more imperative to clean the mouth.